Tubular double drum washing machines



Oct. 12, 1965 E. J. SULZMANN TUBULAR DOUBLE DRUM WASHING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1963 0a. 12, 1965 E. J suLzMANN 3,210,969

TUBULAR DOUBLE DRUM WASHING MACHINES Filed May 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I 1 15 155 13 m 2 I4 13 M Fig.4

I2 40 40a 39 w 40 ErIL/I J b Sn z z hann United States Patent Office 3,210,969 TUBULAR DOUBLE DRUM WASHING MACHINES Erich Joseph Sulzmann, Campione dItalia, Como, Italy Filed May 22, 1963, Ser. No. 282,491 Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 5, 1963, s 83,163 16 Claims. (Cl. 6858) The present invention relates to a washing machine.

In counter current-flow washing installations it is known to connect several washing units to a ring. The washing tubs are charged and discharged in timed sequence, the washing agent being added during washing at different places.

Furthermore flow washing machines which are constructed as double drum washing machines are known, in which water is charged at one end and constantly discharged at the other end, the washing drum being provided with a perforated jacket and different kinds of washing agents being supplied.

It has already been proposed to arrange washing units connected in series providing a liquid passage and to convey the washing by conveyor blades from one washing unit to the other in timed sequence.

Finally, washing installations are known, more especially in the form of counter current-flow installations wherein the washing drum is of tubular construction. The washing is charged at one end of the tube and in this case discharged at the other end and heat and washing agents are supplied during the passage at certain points.

Such machines are known both as single drum and as double drum washing machines. These tubular washing machines have not yet proved themselves in practice. Principally it is the charging and heating which is not yet ready for practical use. Conducting the flow of the washing liquid through the washing drum is not yet perfect either. Fresh and dirty washing liquid mix in the outer drum and prevent the washing from being completely rinsed with fresh water. The washing then leaves the machine still containing residues of washing agents, consumed lye and dirt. These tubular machines lack the division of the bath spaces into individual compartments as are employed in conventional counter current flow installations by the division into washing units.

The object of the present invention is to provide a tubular double drum washing machine in which a satisfactory bath conduction is obtained and in which the tubular washing drum, which is only partly perforated causes washing regions to be formed, through which a satisfactory washing liquid flow is passed in counter currentflow. A particular advantage in the case of this novel tubular counter current-flow washing machine with a continuous method of operation-both for the washing liquid flow and for the washing-the washing liquid flow and the washing are controlled independently of one another.

The washing liquid flow may be increased or reduced while maintaining a constant washing conveyance, in order to alter the washing effect from a chemical point of view.

The quantity of washing conveyed may be increased or reduced, depending upon whether a shorter or longer washing operation is required.

According to the present invention the frontally charged perforated internal drum is supported on its outer side merely by bearing or sliding rails, for example, of stainless metal, plastics or the like disposed between the outer drum and inner drum, extended wholly or partly around them, the sliding rails being fixed to the outer drum or inner drum or, arranged loosely between the drums and secured against longitudinal displacement.

3,210,969 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 In this case a further novel feature is that in washing machines operating in known manner in accordance with the counter current-flow principle the bearing rails between outer and inner drum form compartments, while within the washing drum in longitudinal direction a free passage of the washing liquid exists.

A further novelty is that at the sliding rails arranged in mutually spaced relationship between inner and outer drum, the washing drum is provided with imperforate annular parts which are wider than the sliding and bearing rails and form a plurality of washing regions in the washing drum.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a rinsing liquid for the washing to be supplied at the charging end of the machine at which the dirty washing is introduced.

The invention will be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the tubular washing machine, partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1, the tubular washing machine being shown in longitudinal section;

FIG. 3 shows an alternative construction of the guidance of the washing drum;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the tubular washing machine on the line IVIV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the tubular washing machine on the line VV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section on the line VIVI of FIG. 5 through the collecting case for the second rinse water; and

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the charging hopper.

The tubular double drum washing machine has a fixed tubular outer drum 10, which is supported by a frame 11. In the outer drum 10 the frontally charged perforated inner drum 12 is supported merely on its outside by means of bearing or sliding rails 13 passed wholly or partly around and disposed between the outer drum 10 and the inner drum (washing drum) 12. The rails, for example, are of stainless metal, plastics material or the like. The sliding rails 13 may also be fixed to the outer drum 10 or even to the inner drum 12. It would however also be possible, while being secured against longitudinal displacement, to arrange them loosely between the drums 10, 12, the drums, as shown in FIG. 3, being provided with corresponding annular flanges 14.

The bearing rails 13 form compartments 15 between the outer drum 10 and the inner drum 12. Within the inner drum 12, a free passage of the washing liquid in longitudinal direction is provided.

In the region of the sliding rails 13 between inner drum 12 and outer drum 10, the washing drum 12 is provided with imperforate annular parts 16, which are wider than the sliding and bearing rails 13. This causes a plurality of washing regions to be formed in the washing drum 12, which regions, as explained further below, may possibly be separated from one another by means of annular ribs.

The machine is intended to be used more especially as a counter current-flow machine, .i.e. the washing is charged at the charging end 17 into the washing drum 10, 12 and discharged at the discharge end 18 from the washing drum.

The washing drum 12 may also be supported at the charging end 17 in the outer drum. In this case, ball bearings may be provided. The washing drum 12 is adapted to be driven merely by a means arranged outside the outer drum 10; for example, for this purpose the inner drum 12 may be provided with a driving wheel arranged on struts or on a hood 19, which wheel is driven by a pinion 21 of a driving motor 22.

The tubular double drum 10, 12 is mounted on a slant so that the washing charged at the charging end 17, as stated earlier, is gradually transported to the discharging end 18.

The inner drum 12 may also be supported outside the outer drum 10 at the charging end 17, for example, in the region of the driving wheel 20.

Particularly when built as a frontally charged machine, the washing is introduced in drum 12 through the charging opening 23 by means of the rinsing liquid, more especially fairly clean rinsing liquid. For this purpose a pipe line 24, 24a leads in a charging hopper 25 at the charging end 17 of the washing drum 10, 12 through which pipe surplus washing liquid extracted from the rinsing regions 44b and 440, and still containing chemicals such as soap, bleaching agents and alkalis, is pumped into the hopper 25 by means of a pump 27 at the same time this rinsing washing liquid is employed as preliminary washing liquid in the preliminary washing region 28. The rinsing and washing regions communicate by way of pipes 33a in connection with the shunt pipe 24. The outlet from each region to the shunt pipe 24 is adapted to be regulated and stopped by means of regulating valves 33. The soaking water may be taken from one region or mixed together from several regions. But also clean rinsing water out of container 37 may be taken as rinsing washing liquid by closing valves 33 and opening valve 330.

A chute or a hopper 25 is arranged in order to introduce washing at the charging end 17 of the tubular wash ing drum 12; the washing, for example, is supplied by means of an endless conveyor belt 26 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) to the charging hopper 25. By means of the washing liquid supplied through the pipe 24, the washing is soaked and quickly saturated. This to a certain extent already provides a preliminary washing. The preliminary washing liquid may be fed by the pump 27 in the proximity of the upper edge of the feeding hopper 25.

At the charging end 17, as evident from FIG. 2, the tubular washing drum 12 in the preliminary washing area 28 is imperforate at the region 30.

At the charging end 17 of the tubular washing machine, the outer drum 10 includes one or more, for example, a pair of overflow conduits 31, 32, at opposite sides of the bearing rail closest to the charging end, so that the washing liquid fed into the last chamber and flowing in counter current to the flow of the wash through the drum is discharged through overflow conduit 31, while the rinsing liquid fed through the charging hopper into the drum is discharged through overflow conduit 32.

In .the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 the reverse current pipe 24 provided with a regulating valve 33b leads into a box 34 to which the pump 27 is connected. An outlet pipe 35 leads into this box 34 from the preliminary washing area 28 by interposition of a float valve 36. The method of operation of this type is described below.

At the discharge end 18 of the outer drum 10, a container 37 is provided, which acts as collecting container for the completed washing which is ejected and passed on outwardly to the spinner by hand or by means of suitable removal means, for example, conveyor devices, more especially by a conveyor belt 38, by a crane or the like.

At the imperforate parts 16 of the tubular washing drum 12 roof-like or arcuate baflle means 40 are disposed between longitudinal ribs 39. For example, annular ribs may be provided as baffle means forming a definition of the washing liquid region within the washing drum 12.

As is evident from FIG. 4, the roof-like annular ribs 40 have, at opposite sides of each longitudinal rib, portions which are higher than the remainder of the annular ribs so as to better separate the washing chambers from each other.

At the washing discharge end 18 a plate 41 is connected to the outer drum 10 the bottom edge of which is adapted to extend below the liquid level 42 in the discharge hopper 37. This prevents the outlet of steam and gases or air.

The inclined position of the drum 10, 12, may be changed by lifting means 43 arranged at one end of the machine.

The washing drum is supplied, for example, at 44a with fresh water, at 44b with oxygen bleach, with steam at 44c, d, e and furthermore at 44d with soap and alkaline and also at 28 with disinfectants such as sodium bleaching lye. At 44b a part of the rinsing current is discharged from the washing drum for re-use during the preliminary washing, at 44c overflow of the main washing bath is discharged and at 28 overflow of the pre-rinsing or disinfecting bath is discharged. For this purpose suitable pipes may be arranged in known manner.

The method of operation of the tubular double drum washing machine is as follows:

(1) Bath conduction and control:

Fresh water is introduced at 44 by any convenient conduct means not shown in the figures into the discharge hopper 37 wherefrom it flows into the outer drum 10 in the first chamber between the first and second hearing rail 13, which is situated at the washing outlet end. In this chamber the washing is rinsed clear in the washing drum 12. The rinsing water flow is now separated in the washing drum 12 into two flows. A first flow inside the washing drum 12 flows successively through the individual washing chambers in the direction to the charging end 17. The washing liquid is passed through the Washmg drum 12 in conventional manner in counter currentflow. The washing liquid which at the beginning serves as rinsing liquid is converted in the course of the washing process by supplying soap, bleaching agents, alkali and heat, more especially steam. At the charging end 17 the dirty washing is soaked or pre-washed. In known manner a very high bath level is used for rinsing so that the washing is loosely disposed, coming into contact with more water and hence is more thoroughly rinsed through.

Together with the dirt washed out of the washing, the washing liquid is discharged through the overflow 31 shortly before reaching the charging end 17 of the washmg drum 10. The overflow determines the bath level in the machine.

The second flow of the rinsing water is discharged already at the discharge end 18. This part current may be supplied to the washing tube 10, 12 at the opposite charging end 17 for pre-rinsing the dirty washing charged at this point, via the pipe lines 24, 24a and at this point again flows through an overflow 32 to the discharge passage. The separation between pre-rinsing current and washing current is determined by the first sliding rail 13 in the outer drum 10 from the charging end 17.

(2) Method of operation of the float casing:

If the soaking current is to be stronger than the arriving current from the washing and rinsing regions, the pump 27 for the soaking bath is permitted to suck in closed circuit from the pre-washing region 28 and to return via the pump 27 and the soaking hopper 25 to the pre-washing region 18. A float valve 36 in a float casing 34 is incorporated in the suction pipe line 35 in front of the pump 27, which valve regulates the bath level in the float casing 34 to a lower level relative to the bath level in the washing tube 10. See FIG. 4. The shunt pipe line 24 leads into this float casing 34, containing the excess washing and rinsing liquid, the inlet quantity of which is regulated by means of a regulating valve 33b in the shunt pipe line. The inflowing washing liquid regenerates the pre-rinsing liquid in the region 28. While a certain amount of fresh washing liquid flows into the washing machine through a hopper 25 a same quantity of used pre-rinsing liquid leaves the region 28 through overflow 32.

Adjacent to the overflow 32 for the pre-rinsing bath there is an overflow 31 for the discharge of the washing liquid flowing in counter current-flow to the washing movement through the drums. The two overflows of considerable size are arranged on the same level to prevent the two baths from becoming mixed due to level differences in the two respective chambers separated from each other by the sliding rail 13 (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

(3) Conduction of washing:

The washing drops into the charging hopper 25, which leads into the washing drum 12. To ease the charging of washing, the pre-rinsing liquid is supplied by means of pump 27 to the hopper and returns into the washing drum together with the Washing.

The washing drum 12 is preferably imperforate at the charging end 17, so that the rinsing water has to flow in the same current with the washing thus assisting the washing conveyance in an axial direction in connection with the engaging ribs 39 disposed on the drum bottom of the washing drum 12.

Conveying the washing in an axial direction is assisted in the pre-rinse' region by means of the repumped prerinsing bath carried along therewith and the perforated engaging ribs 39 already described. When the washing arrives in the washing regions, where the liquid current flows in counter current flow to the washing, only the inclination of the washing drum 10, 12 causes the washing to be conveyed. This inclination, in axial direction may amount to 4%. By rotating the inclined washing drum 10, 12 the washing is caused slowly to travel to the discharge end 18 into the discharge hopper 37 and onto the discharge or conveyor belt 38.

(4) Discharging the tubular double drum washing machine:

At the outlet end 18 the washing drum 10, 12 may be constructed in the simplest manner as a container 37, which is formed by extending the lower half of the outer drum cylinder 10. The washing flows into this container 37 (discharge hopper) and may be taken out by means of a crane or the like depending upon the removal possibly in timed sequence in a quantity equal to one spinner filling. The washing time may be varied by timing the sequence of unloading.

If the washing tube 10, 12 is inclined to a greater extent, the passage time of the Washing is also reduced. A larger diameter of the discharge hopper 37 would have the same eflect, because the exit of the washing from the washing drum would be easier.

Vice versa, the passage time of the washing, when the washing drum 10, 12 is excessively inclined, could be slowed down if a weir is arranged at the end of the washing drum 12 in the discharge hopper. Lifting the weir wall would cause the outlet speed of washing to slow down. When using a conveyor belt 38 it is possible that the completed Washing is continuously conveyed out of the discharge hopper 37. The washing time may then be regulated by the belt speed.

Charging the inlet hopper 25 by means of a conveyor belt for the dirty washing also simplifies the method of operation of the machine.

(5 Using the double drum tubular washing installation as disinfecting machine:

The washing machine may be used simultaneously as a disinfecting installation, namely both for thermal and chemical disinfection. For chemical disinfection, the disinfectant is added, for example, continuously to the prerinsing bath. This already has a disinfecting eflect in the soaking on the washing and simultaneously on the whole Waste water from the washing drum and also on the gases formed during washing, and discharged through the air waste pipe 46. The air space in the washing drum is separated from the outer air space by water traps.

At the charging hopper 25 the water traps may be formed by a bottom surface extending downwardly and being upwardly inclined to its outlet, the ceiling of the outlet channel extending downwardly so as to form a Syphon-like channel 25a. At the washing drum end the water trap is formed by a plate 41 connected to the outer drum, the bottom edge of which extends below the liquid level into the discharge hopper. This prevents steam and waste air from emerging.

The water traps are highly important .for thermal disinfection, for which the washing has to be boiled for 15 minutes in the washing bath. The steam arising during the boiling should escape only through the waste air pipe 46 and not be able to get into the operator room.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing machine, in combination, support means; an outer drum having a non-perforated peripheral wall and being stationarily supported on said support means; an inner drum having a perforated peripheral wall turnably mounted in said outer drum with its peripheral wall spaced from that of said outer drum, said inner drum having an open charging end and an open opposite discharge end; a plurality of bearing rails located spaced from each other in axial direction of said drums in the space between said peripheral walls in substantial sealing contact therewith and at least partly surrounding said inner drum for dividing said space in a plurality of chambers adapted to contain washing liquid; and a plurality of annular ribs projecting inwardly from the inner surface of said inner drum spaced from each other in axial direction of the latter and respectively aligned with said bearing rails so as to divide the interior of said inner drum into a plurality of zones corresponding in spacing to said chambers.

2. In a washing machine, in combination, support means; an outer drum having a non-perforated peripheral wall and being stationarily supported on said support means with one end thereof at a slightly higher elevation than the other end thereof; an inner drum having a perforated peripheral wall and being turnably mounted in said outer drum substantially coaxial therewith with said peripheral walls spaced from each other, said inner drum having in the region of said one end of said outer drum an 'open charging end and having an open discharge end at the other end thereof; a plurality of bearing rails located spaced from each other in axial direction of said drums in the space between said peripheral walls in substantial sealing contact therewith and at least partly surrounding said inner drum for dividing said space in a plurality of chambers adapted to contain washing liquid; a plurality of annular ribs projecting inwardly from the inner surface of said inner drum spaced from each other in axial direction of the latter and respectively aligned with said bearing rails so as to divide the interior of said inner drum into a plurality of zones corresponding in spacing to said chambers; means for feeding fresh washing liquid into the last chamber adjacent to the discharge end of said inner drum; means communicating with said open charging end of said inner drum for feeding washing liquid into said open charging end to flush wash into the interior of the inner drum and to pre-soak the wash; and a pair of over-flow conduits respectively communicating with the interior of said outer drum at opposite sides of the bearing rail closest to said one end of the outer drum so that washing liquid fed into the last chamber may flow in counter-current to the flow of the wash through said drums to be discharged through one of said overflow conduits while washing liquid fed through said open charging end may flow in the same direction as the wash through the first zone adjacent to the charging end to be discharged through the other of said overflow conduits.

3. A washing machine as set forth in claim 2 and including a discharge hopper connected to said other end of said outer drum and said open discharge end of said inner drum opening into said discharge hopper.

4. A washing machine as set forth in claim 3 and including a charging hopper for receiving dirty wash, said charging hopper having an open end communicating With said open charging end of said inner drum. I 5. A washing machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for feeding washing liquid into said open charging end of the drum include conduit means leading from said discharge hopper to said said charging hopper to transfer washing liquid from said discharge hopper to said charging hopper.

6. A washing machine as set forth in claim 5 and including a plurality of branch conduits each communicating with one end thereof with said conduit means and with the other end thereof with said chambers, respectively.

7. A washing machine as set forth in claim 6 and including a regulating valve in each of said branch conduits.

8. A washing machine as set forth in claim 5 and including pump means communicating with said conduit means for pumping Washing liquid from said conduit means to said charging hopper.

9. A washing machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein said charging hopper has a bottom surface extending downwardly inclined to said open charging end and wherein said pump means discharges washing liquid into said charging hopper onto the upper end of said downwardly inclined surface.

10. A washing machine as set forth in claim 8 and including a container between said conduit means and said pump means; a pipe communicating at one end With said container and at the other end with the chamber adjacent to the one end of said outer drum; and a float valve in the liquid in the container and cooperating with said one end of said pipe for opening and closing the latter.

11. A washing machine as set forth in claim 2 and including a plurality of longitudinal ribs projecting angularly displaced from each other from the innner surface of the inner drum through the whole length of the latter.

12. A washing machine as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said annular ribs has a pair of oppositely inclined annular wall portions to form a rib of substantially triangular cross section having an apex spaced from the inner surface of the inner drum.

13. A Washing machine as set forth in claim 12 in which each of said annular ribs has at opposite sides of each longitudinal rib portions which are higher than the remainder of the annular rib.

14. A washing machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said peripheral Wall of said inner drum has adjacent to the open charging end thereof a non-perforated portion ending substantially midway between the charging end and the annular rib adjacent thereto.

15. A washing machine as set forth in claim 2 and including a discharge hopper connected to said other end of said outer drum, said open discharge end of said inner drum opening into said discharge hopper, and a plate connected to said other end of said outer drum and extending partly over said other end thereof and having a bottom edge adapted to extend below the liquid level in the discharge hopper.

16. A washing machine as set forth in claim 15 and including transporting means extending into said discharge hopper for feeding cleaned wash out of the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,690 11/42 Neuman 68158 2,680,084 6/54 Ryan 6858 X FOREIGN PATENTS 426,182 3/26 Germany.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A WASHING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS; AN OUTER DRUM HAVING A NON-PERFORATED PERIPHERAL WALL AND BEING STATIONARILY SUPPORTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS; AN INNER DRUM HAVING A PERFORATED PERIPHERAL WALL TURNABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OUTER DRUM WITH ITS PERIPHERAL WALL SPACED FROM THAT OF SAID OUTER DRUM, SAID INNER DRUM HAVING AN OPEN CHARGING END AND AN OPEN OPPOSITE DISCHARGE END; A PLURALITY OF BEARING RAILS LOCATED SPACED FROM EACH OTHER IN AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAID DRUMS IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID PERIPHERAL WALLS IN SUBSTANTIAL SEALING CONTACT THEREWITH AND AT LEAST PARTLY SURROUNDING SAID INNER DRUM FOR DRIVING SAID SPACE IN A PLURALITY OF CHAMBERS ADAPTED TO CONTAIN WASHING LIQUID; AND A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR RIBS PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID INNER DRUM SPACED FROM SAID OTHER IN AXIAL DIRECTION OF THE LATTER AND RESPECTIVELY ALIGNED WITH SAID BEARING RAILS SO AS TO DIVIDE THE INTERIOR OF SAID INNER DRUM INTO A PLURALITY OF ZONES CORRESPONDING IN SPACING TO SAID CHAMBERS. 